Letter to the Editor

On the front page of the local section of the Tallahassee Democrat is a letter to the editor about the Greenway. It appears that the Democrat is sympathetic to our interests. It's sad that we have to wait until someone from Pensacola starts asking the reasonable question of why the county commission is cutting off this use. Let's keep the pressure up. Someone with some political know-how willing to lead on this issue?

Here's the letter if you missed it:

Letter to the Editor

Keep cross county at the Greenway


For several years, I have been going to cross country meets at the Mikkosukee Greenway park. This year, I found out that the Leon County Commission was withdrawing the park as a venue for cross country meets, to protect the grass and so the western portion wouldn't have to be closed during the meets.
The grass in the park is bahia grass, a non-native species commonly planted along highways and in pastures. There are only about five to seven meets a year large enough to warrant parking on the grass. Bahia grass is very hardy and tolerates being parked on as well as being mowed to a short height.
The western portion of the park would be closed only five to seven times a year. The eastern portion remains open, even during large meets. In exchange for the minor inconvenience of losing a portion of the park for a portion of a few days, Leon County gets the infusion of meet dollars to area businesses. I traveled with the Pensacola Washington High School team to the regional meet on Nov. 8, and our party spent about $600 on two meals. Multiply this by the 15 or so teams that took part in the 3A race and the 12 or so teams that took part in the 1A race and there is a significant economic impact. For those meets that are held early in the morning and the meets hosted by FSU, you can add hotel stays for out-of-town teams.
Finally, the County Commission should be facilitating fitness for young people, not impeding it. I can unqualifiedly say that the Greenway is one of the best venues I have seen for high-school and college cross country. I urge the Leon County Commission to reconsider any decision that would bar FSU and local high schools from holding meets there.

BRAD MASON
Pensacola